Christmas 2024 Engineering Works Timetable

[johnnychips]

My friend is planning a visit to London from Leeds over the Xmas/New Year period, and he asked me if there would be any engineering works. Since these things have to be planned months in advance, I assumed it would be an easy thing to find out. A lot of burrowing on LNER’s website suggests there will be disruption on the 24th December, but Network Rail’s page

Find details of current incidents | National Rail

A portal into UK rail travel, including information on ticket purchase and promotions, train times and delays, and more.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

only goes up to the end of November.

I feel I am missing a trick here: how can I find this information easily both for the East Coast, and indeed any other line? Thanks in advance.

 

[43055]

EMR's website suggests that the planners will be updated at the end of the month for the Christmas period.

 

[Vexed]

Looks like ECML will be clear. The open access operators have published info on NRE which suggests a standard early finish 24th, nothing 25-26th then late start 27th.

Christmas and New Year 2024/25 | National Rail | National Rail

National Rail Christmas and New Year Travel Summary, a guide containing GB rail changes due to engineering work and revised service levels.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

The next major East Coast Digital Program closure (which will probably be timed with other major work on the south ECML) is August Bank Holiday 2025.

I've done a quick scan of the EAS and can't find anything near Leeds, though this is not by any means the final plan for engineering work and is subject to (major) change.

 

[tram21]

I recommend looking on RealTimeTrains for the best engineering advice, as amended schedules are generally loaded onto there before details are announced.

 

[liamf656]

EMR's website suggests that the planners will be updated at the end of the month for the Christmas period.

There is a 9 day blockade over the Christmas period with trains terminating at Bedford instead of London St Pancras for the duration. I believe it's 21st to 29th December but I could be wrong and I'm unsure how it affects Thameslink at the moment

 

[Vexed]

There is a 9 day blockade over the Christmas period with trains terminating at Bedford instead of London St Pancras for the duration. I believe it's 21st to 29th December but I could be wrong and I'm unsure how it affects Thameslink at the moment

Thameslink will be bus replacement 21st to 29th December between Harpenden and London with the usual connections to East Coast stations eg Luton - Hitchin, Harpenden/St Albans - Potters Bar for London passengers, as this is faster than bussing all the way to London (and uses less busses). These are in addition busses which stop at all stations. EMR services will terminate at Bedford and busses to Milton Keynes or another station on the West Coast Main Line to spread the load.

Canal Tunnels & Thameslink Core open for traffic from the East Coast (Cambridge/Peterborough to Brighton services) 21st - 24th December then closes, reopening at the same time as the Midland Main Line on the early morning of the 30th. Note other works will disrupt the Cambridge services during this time.

Luckily I have service busses which can get me to Hatfield in reasonable time so shouldn't be too bad for me though I do feel for the longer distance passengers!

Again from Engineering Access Statement so could be out of date but I doubt there will be major changes for a blockade this big.

 

[tram21]

There is a 9 day blockade over the Christmas period with trains terminating at Bedford instead of London St Pancras for the duration. I believe it's 21st to 29th December but I could be wrong and I'm unsure how it affects Thameslink at the moment

All the altered services are on RTT...

 

[johnnychips]

Thanks for all your answers, and of course I should have thought about Real Time Trains.

However, I am still surprised that there is no list available to non-enthusiasts. Or perhaps the engineering works aren’t as set in stone for months in advance as I thought?

 

[The Planner]

Thanks for all your answers, and of course I should have thought about Real Time Trains.

However, I am still surprised that there is no list available to non-enthusiasts. Or perhaps the engineering works aren’t as set in stone for months in advance as I thought?

They are set in stone, but the information that follows doesn't follow on as quickly.

 

[800001]

Someone told me that all of Crewe is shut for a week over Christmas, including Basford Hall, can anyone advise if there is any engineering work affecting Crewe at Xmas? TIA

 

[tram21]

Someone told me that all of Crewe is shut for a week over Christmas, including Basford Hall, can anyone advise if there is any engineering work affecting Crewe at Xmas? TIA

Looking on RTT, looks like there's engineering works on 27th December, with all trains seemingly replaced by buses. Other days look generally okay.

 

[The Planner]

Someone told me that all of Crewe is shut for a week over Christmas, including Basford Hall, can anyone advise if there is any engineering work affecting Crewe at Xmas? TIA

Its shut in various guises between Xmas and New Year for the Independent line resignalling.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

There'll be long Christmas blockades for Cambridge South and Beaulieu Park, like last year

 

[LiftFan]

I’m mostly waiting to see what will be running from Christmas through to the end of January during the Westbury South blockade…

 

[Tim456]

I’m mostly waiting to see what will be running from Christmas through to the end of January during the Westbury South blockade…

Services up to and including Friday 3rd of January are now showing on RTT. No trains serving Westbury, only buses. What happens after that, we’ll have to wait till further times are uploaded.

 

[Chiltern006]

Any potential rare track for xmas?

 

[MikeWM]

There'll be long Christmas blockades for Cambridge South and Beaulieu Park, like last year

RTT is now showing nothing south of Cambridge between December 27th and January *5th* inclusive, which therefore includes the first two working days of the new year (Jan 2nd and 3rd). Is this actually what's going to happen? I don't recall any previous examples, at least not in recent years, of Christmas engineering work running into the new year like that.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

RTT is now showing nothing south of Cambridge between December 27th and January *5th* inclusive, which therefore includes the first two working days of the new year (Jan 2nd and 3rd). Is this actually what's going to happen? I don't recall any previous examples, at least not in recent years, of Christmas engineering work running into the new year like that.

It's also showing nothing out of Cambridge at all between December 27 and January 1

 

[The Planner]

RTT is now showing nothing south of Cambridge between December 27th and January *5th* inclusive, which therefore includes the first two working days of the new year (Jan 2nd and 3rd). Is this actually what's going to happen? I don't recall any previous examples, at least not in recent years, of Christmas engineering work running into the new year like that.

Expect to see more of it in the coming years.

 

[Vexed]

RTT is now showing nothing south of Cambridge between December 27th and January *5th* inclusive, which therefore includes the first two working days of the new year (Jan 2nd and 3rd). Is this actually what's going to happen? I don't recall any previous examples, at least not in recent years, of Christmas engineering work running into the new year like that.

It lines up with what's in the Engineering Access Statement - possession ends 0400 on 6th Jan.

Includes Cambridge South work, Foxton S&C renewal, and Cambridge resignalling stage 2 commissioning work (not final, there is more signalling work scheduled for June 2025) and assorted other work.

 

[30907]

RTT is now showing nothing south of Cambridge between December 27th and January *5th* inclusive, which therefore includes the first two working days of the new year (Jan 2nd and 3rd). Is this actually what's going to happen? I don't recall any previous examples, at least not in recent years, of Christmas engineering work running into the new year like that.

The serious return to work will be on 6th January though - so for once the 12 days of Christmas are observed
Lord Hendy a'leaping?

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

It lines up with what's in the Engineering Access Statement - possession ends 0400 on 6th Jan.

Includes Cambridge South work, Foxton S&C renewal, and Cambridge resignalling stage 2 commissioning work (not final, there is more signalling work scheduled for June 2025) and assorted other work.

Does this close the signal boxes and convert the level crossings?

Expect to see more of it in the coming years.

Hopefully not in the Cambridge area

 

[Vexed]

Does this close the signal boxes and convert the level crossings?

As far as I'm aware it's LCs to full barrier and mechanical signal boxes recontrolled to Cambridge PSB.

NR has quite a detailed page with more detail in the Transport and Works Act Order.

Cambridge re-signalling - Network Rail

We're investing £194m to renew the signalling system for the Cambridge area to improve efficiency and reliability for passengers and freight users.

www.networkrail.co.uk

Image of a map of the 125 track miles to be upgraded, from the NR link above

Closed thread here https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/cambridge-area-signalling-renewal.228534/

 

[Starmill]

RTT is now showing nothing south of Cambridge between December 27th and January *5th* inclusive, which therefore includes the first two working days of the new year (Jan 2nd and 3rd). Is this actually what's going to happen? I don't recall any previous examples, at least not in recent years, of Christmas engineering work running into the new year like that.

It's definitely happened before on Southeastern and Southern. There were also a number of enhancements projects that did it that way. Another likely one is works that start on the second or third Sunday in January and last a full week or two weeks.

However, I am still surprised that there is no list available to non-enthusiasts. Or perhaps the engineering works aren’t as set in stone for months in advance as I thought?

Sadly it's very common that timetables are published late now. There's a lot of finger pointing but it still happens regularly.

The serious return to work will be on 6th January though - so for once the 12 days of Christmas are observed
Lord Hendy a'leaping?

Thankfully yes! 2 January is mercifully quiet as it's a Bank Holiday in Scotland and very few people in England and Wales want to schedule any work meetings or travel to offices on that day.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

As far as I'm aware it's LCs to full barrier and mechanical signal boxes recontrolled to Cambridge PSB.

NR has quite a detailed page with more detail in the Transport and Works Act Order.

Cambridge re-signalling - Network Rail

We're investing £194m to renew the signalling system for the Cambridge area to improve efficiency and reliability for passengers and freight users.

www.networkrail.co.uk

View attachment 165495
Image of a map of the 125 track miles to be upgraded, from the NR link above

Closed thread here https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/cambridge-area-signalling-renewal.228534/

Yes I know about that, but are the signal boxes closing and the LCs being converted this Christmas?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Expect to see more of it in the coming years.

It makes sense to me. Longer possessions is much more efficient and gets a lot more done and for many years now people have been mainly staying home anyway so not as disruptive.

 

[Vexed]

Yes I know about that, but are the signal boxes closing and the LCs being converted this Christmas?

Not 100% sure but I would say probably not

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Not 100% sure but I would say probably not

Cambridge Area Signalling Renewal

I assume this belongs in this thread. ... The seven level crossings set to be upgraded are: Dimmocks Cote Waterbeach Milton Fen Meldreth Road Six Mile Bottom Dullingham and; Croxton (Norfolk) Dimmocks Cote seems to have issues more often than not, lost count of...

www.railforums.co.uk

Found the answer here, which is no

 

[MikeWM]

It lines up with what's in the Engineering Access Statement - possession ends 0400 on 6th Jan.

Includes Cambridge South work, Foxton S&C renewal, and Cambridge resignalling stage 2 commissioning work (not final, there is more signalling work scheduled for June 2025) and assorted other work.

Thanks, no surprises in what is being done but I admit to being surprised as to the length of the closure.

--

It's definitely happened before on Southeastern and Southern. There were also a number of enhancements projects that did it that way.

Fair enough; I still don't recall but I only have vague recollections of what happened in what year over Christmas (and when they ended). Definitely I've not been affected by a closure this long before.

I'd rather they 'got on and got done with it' myself, but this is on the back of almost two years of regular weekend closures around here for one or other of these projects, and it sounds like this won't actually be an end to either of them, so there will probably be further closures in 2025

Thankfully yes! 2 January is mercifully quiet as it's a Bank Holiday in Scotland and very few people in England and Wales want to schedule any work meetings or travel to offices on that day.

A lot of places are being increasingly strict about cracking down on 'working from home' for some reason or other - including mine - so while a lot of people will presumably be taking holiday those two days, many may not have a choice about going to the office on at least one of those days.

 

[Starmill]

A lot of places are being increasingly strict about cracking down on 'working from home' for some reason or other - including mine - so while a lot of people will presumably be taking holiday those two days, many may not have a choice about going to the office on at least one of those days.

This is totally true, but it's only really going to affect the office workers in England and Wales who've chosen not to book leave and have a highly restrictive policy from their employer on use of the office. I'd suggest this is a small, small number. People working in non work from home jobs like shop workers or hospital staff are less likely to be using trains to get to work in the first place. Business meetings on those two days would be all but unheard of.